Rotary display device for automobiles and the like.



E. L. DODSON. ROTARY DISPLAY DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. I, I9I7- Patented Mar. 5, I918.

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EDWIN L. IDODFSON, OF COVINGTON, KENTUCKY.

ROTARY DISPLAY DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES AND THE LIKE.

AppIication filed October 1,

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, EDWIN L. DonsoN, a, citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of Covington, in the county oi. l ienton andState of Kentucky, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inltotary Display Devices for i iutoumbiles and the like, of which thefollowing a specification.

This invention relates to Whirligigs and like rotary devices that arewhirled by the wind or by the passing of a moving vehicle, on which theyare each mounted, through the air, along the streets or the highways, orthe like, for use in displaying various advertisements or parts oi sameor of symbols of yarious kinds that: become complete as they spin aroundand thereby attract: the eye of the 3asser-by and others of the observiupublic likely to be interested therein.

The present invention herein consists of a device especially adapted foruse on the customary upright capped-tube at the fore end of the radiatorof an automobile wherebj a whirling metallic emblem or flag-symbol maybe displayed so as to impart the appearance of a floating flag, wavingin the wind, or as it would appear if Waving from a mast or stallelevated above the ground where it might catch the breeze.

The details of structure of the device "will be fully hereinafterdescribed and then clearly and particularly pointed out in the claimthat follows.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings,

Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved device removably-clamped inplace at the fore end of a fragmentary portion ol the radiator of anautomobile, to which latter purpose it is especially adapted, althoughnot essentially, and mostly intended for use by me; Fig. 2, a verticalsection or the dc tachable stall or support ItOI' the whirler, omittingthe whirler itself and the clamp, as well as said tore end oi theautomobile member; Fig. 3, a horizontal section taken on the dotted linem, of Fig. 2; and hi l, a plan of the Whirler and itssupportings'tal'l', but again omitting the said clamp andradiatormember.

1 indicates the fore end of an automobile radiator-member having thecustomary capped cooling-fluid inlet-nipple 2.

3 is a clamp composed of a pair of corresponding members, each having asmall semicircle and a large semicircle and both Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented Mar. 5, 1918.

1917. Serial No. 194,178.

united by means ot a screw-bolt a, the large aliued semicircles claspingthe inlet-nipple 9 and the small alined semicircles clasping the lowerend ot a perpendicular stall :3, of wood or other suitable material, andsaid sercwbolt, or a pair of the latter it desired, being used. totightly hold the two members of the clamp in. tirm relation with saidstall and inlet-nipple, the staff being extended upwardly and having inits upper end a deep socket 6 in the bottom cl which is seated or pitteda metallic block or jewel 7 that, in turn. is also provided with a pitS.

5.) indicates a vertical stem or spindle having a reduced portion orpivot 10 at its lower end to seat freely in the said pit 8, the lowerend of such pivot 10 being preferably rounded or hemispherical forreducing the 'l'riction thereof to a minimum, although a supply oflubricating oil may also be used in the pit 8, as a matter o't' course.

The upper end of the stem 9 extends above the mouth of the socket 6 andis slitted or split, as shown at 11 to accommodate the riveted centralpart or the lower edge of a sheet-metal whirler 12, the latter being inthe nature oil" a representation of a waving emblem or flag, in thisinstance that of the American flag, wherein the blue field thereof isnot in alinement on both sides of the plate 1.2, but at both endsthereof, so that as the plate whirls the unalincd representations of thetlag appear to blend and assume the appearance of a waving flag, dyingin a still" u'ecre, and th plate 12 being of metal will not tray out orthe weather conditions atl'ectit as would result With a real textileflag fluttering or lying in the lillltl and at the mercy of the elementsii. used at the fore end ot? a speeding vehicle where it would besubject to frequent replacement and not stand the wear.

The whirler and stem are connected together by means of rivets or thelike and rotate together, the stem forming the pivotal part of thewhirler, and the socketcd member .i :torming the stall proper oil thedevice. The \i'hirlcr, in this instance too, is made E-shapelongitudinally, whereby the active wave effect to the flag display isimparted thereto and the said blue field with its galaxy of stars isseen at its proper place to the left, of the person viewing the displayat either side of the machine or vehicle.

A circumferential groove 13 is made in the spindle 9 below the slit 11,and a split ring l=l is inserted in that groove, and of suitioientresiliency to cause it to expand beyond the periphery of the spindle, asbest shown in Fig. 2, but it loosely mounted on the spindle Within thegroove so as to freely contract when the spindle is inserted inoperative position in the socket 6 and then permitted to automaticallyexpand or seat under the lower edge of the downwardly-turned flange 15of a ring or ferrule 16 that caps the upper or outer end of the staff 5.Thus the spindle 9 is held free to turn in, but not to escape from thesocket t3 and the lower edge of the ferrule 1G is crmsed or dented, asshown at 1'1" to prevent its accidental dis placement from the staff.The upper end of the start is inwardly beveled to accommodate the down*ardly-fianged mouth of the terrule 16, also as best shown in Fig. 2.

Other forms 01? Whirler can, of course, be substituted for or usedinstead of the flag Lesseei conceit shown in Fig. 1. The device can bereadily attached or removed as occasion may require.

A rotary display device or Whirligig cornpri'sinp; a Whirler-image, apivotal stem or spindle attached to said Whirler-image, acircumferential groove in the stem near its upper end and pivotal pointat its lower end, a split. resilient coupling or detaining ring in saidgroove, a stali" having a socket in its upper end to accommodate saidstein or spindle for support and rotation, and a ferrule on'the upperend of said staff having a do'wnwardl -tur'ned flange for engagement bysaid split ring and to prevent the escape of the stem or spindle fromthe socket and a crease or dent made in the ferrule to engage theperiphery oi the staff and prevent its displa cement therefrom.

EDWIN L. :oooson.

Copies 01' this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing" the fiommissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

